Dark Wings Rise

Bon Anniversaire, Adrien!

"Father? Are you here?" Adrien asked, dejected.

"Yes, Adrien. and I am quite busy right now, so I would appreciate it if you head back to your room." Adrien heard the ice-cold voice from the other side.

"...yes, father." He sighed as he went back to his room.

'I wonder if my father would let me go. Marinette and the others have worked so hard! I don't want to leave them hanging. Also... I really want to go too.'

"I hope your words reached out to him, Marinette." He said as he sniffled back a tear.

"I really do."

*

Adrien sat at his piano.

He played the song that had been forming inside of his mind for a while.

He tried to think of the limited things that made him happy.

He thought of his birthday.

He thought of his mother.

He thought of croissants.

He thought of being Chat Noir.

He thought of Iris.

He thought of Marinette.

He smiled.

Marinette.

She was so brave. She did it all for him. She was a true friend.

But why did it feel wrong when he said that?

He shrugged the thought aside.

"Hey, kid, it's not much but... Here." Adrien came face to face with his usually smug-faced kwami who was now holding a slice of his camembert.

"Happy Birthday, kid." He said and quickly flew out of Adrien's sight.

Adrien smiled.

He took the cheese and sighed.

"Thank you, Plagg." He said.

"Happy Birthday to me."

*

"Adrikinnnnns!" Chloe stormed into Adrien's room.

"You can not be serious!" She said.

"You are wearing those shoes-" she pointed disgustedly at his green sneakers and then at gis red shirt, "with that shirt?" She raised an eyebrow.

"Ohmigod, Agreste. You're a fashion disaster!" She facepalmed.

"Chlo, I really don't want to do this. How about we head to your hotel? Last I checked, the Mayor really needed something." He said.

He was trying really hard to pretend not to know about the surprise.

He had to. The problem was, it was just so amusing seeing Chloe act as if it wasn't his birthday today and come up with obnoxious and humouring excuses about why they shouldn't be going back to her father's hotel.

"Let's get our friends something," Chloe said, finally, not meeting his gaze out of embarrassment and ego.

"What was that?" Adrien asked, mouth slightly agape.

"I said, let's get YOUR friends something. Like, a Christmas present!" She said.

"Chloe..."

She looked up.

And saw Adrien, trying, very hard but failing poorly, to cover his laughter.

"What!?" She asked cheeks flushed.